The Kaduna State House of Assembly has approved a proposed amendment to the 1999 Constitution to pave the way for the establishment of state police services in Nigeria.
The bill, titled A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to Provide for the Establishment of State Police Services and for Related Matters, 2026, was transmitted to the state legislature by the National Assembly for consideration and approval.
The lawmakers approved the proposal during Thursday’s plenary session, presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Henry Magaji Dajuma.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Henry Marah, who represents Jaba State Constituency, said the Assembly supported the proposed policing system as a means of strengthening community security and improving the protection of lives and property.
Marah explained that decentralising policing could enable authorities to respond more effectively to security threats within their jurisdictions. He also said the proposed arrangement could create employment opportunities for young people.
He added that the state would establish appropriate legal provisions to guide the operations and welfare of personnel recruited into the proposed police service once the constitutional process is completed.
The lawmaker further indicated that the state would prioritise funding for the initiative, even if doing so required adjustments to spending on other projects.
The proposed amendment forms part of wider efforts to decentralise Nigeria’s policing structure amid persistent security challenges, including banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities.
Under the proposal, a Federal Police Service would operate alongside state police services, allowing states to establish their own policing structures under an appropriate legal framework.
However, Kaduna’s approval alone does not establish state police. The constitutional amendment must satisfy the required legislative procedures before the proposed system can become operational.
The reform also raises important questions about funding, accountability, professional standards and safeguards against political interference. How these issues are addressed will influence the implementation and oversight of any state police service.
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